Patents by Inventor Athanasios Kollias
Athanasios Kollias has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240114292Abstract: A system includes a first membrane, a second membrane and a third membrane spaced apart from one another, wherein the second membrane is between the first membrane and the third membrane, and the second membrane comprises a plurality of openings, a sealed low pressure chamber between the first membrane and the third membrane, and a plurality of electrodes in the sealed low pressure chamberType: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2023Publication date: April 4, 2024Inventors: Marc Fueldner, Andreas Wiesbauer, Athanasios Kollias
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Patent number: 11932533Abstract: A triple-membrane MEMS device includes a first membrane, a second membrane and a third membrane spaced apart from one another, wherein the second membrane is between the first membrane and the third membrane, a sealed low pressure chamber between the first membrane and the third membrane, a first stator and a second stator in the sealed low pressure chamber, and a signal processing circuit configured to read-out output signals of the triple-membrane MEMS device.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2020Date of Patent: March 19, 2024Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Marc Fueldner, Andreas Wiesbauer, Athanasios Kollias
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Patent number: 11885705Abstract: Pressure sensors include stacking of sensor capacitors on top of reference capacitors. A pressure cavity may be extended below a bottom electrode. The pressure sensors may include a mechanical link of a top membrane with the bottom electrode in order to form a dual membrane, or a mechanical link of the top membrane, the bottom electrode and an intermediate electrode within a cavity. A pressure sensor includes a first and second pressure sensing portions, each including a first and second rigid electrodes, and a deflectable membrane structure. The second rigid electrode is between the first rigid electrode and the deflectable membrane structure arranged in a vertical configuration. The first and second rigid electrodes of the first and second pressure sensing portions form respective reference capacitors, and the second rigid electrodes and the deflectable membrane structures form respective sensing capacitors.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2022Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Athanasios Kollias, Bernhard Winkler
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Patent number: 11889283Abstract: A system includes a first membrane, a second membrane and a third membrane spaced apart from one another, wherein the second membrane is between the first membrane and the third membrane, and the second membrane comprises a plurality of openings, a sealed low pressure chamber between the first membrane and the third membrane, and a plurality of electrodes in the sealed low pressure chamber.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2020Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Marc Fueldner, Andreas Wiesbauer, Athanasios Kollias
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Patent number: 11879801Abstract: A controller for an environmental sensor provides digital environmental measurement values from analog environmental measurements performed by analog circuitry, the digital environmental measurement values lying in a global scale range. The controller subjects the global scale range to a subdivision into scale subranges that are proper subranges of the global scale range. The controller selects, among the scale subranges, one scale subrange in which an analog environmental measurement is to be performed, selects an offset information and a gain information that are associated with the selected scale subrange and that are indicative of an offset and a gain to be applied by the analog circuitry to perform an analog environmental measurement in the selected scale subrange, and to provide the offset information and the gain information to the analog circuitry.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2022Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: Infineon Technologies AGInventors: Andreas Wiesbauer, Alessandro Caspani, Christian Jenkner, Athanasios Kollias
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Publication number: 20230184610Abstract: A sensor arrangement includes a substrate having a through opening between a first and a second main surface region, a sound transducing portion at the first main surface region of the substrate and spanning the through opening in the substrate, and a pressure sensing portion at the first main surface region of the substrate and fluidically coupled to the through opening in the substrate. The sound transducing portion includes a deflectable membrane structure, and a counter electrode. The pressure sensing portion includes a first and second rigid electrode and a deflectable membrane structure. The deflectable membrane structure of the pressure sensing portion opposes the plane of the first main surface region of the substrate. The first and second rigid electrodes of the pressure sensor form a reference capacitor of the pressure sensor, and the second rigid electrode and the membrane structure form a sense capacitor of the pressure sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2022Publication date: June 15, 2023Inventors: Athanasios Kollias, Marc Fueldner, Matthias Friedrich Herrmann, Gunar Lorenz, Andreas Wiesbauer
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Publication number: 20230054356Abstract: A pressure sensor includes a first pressure sensing portion and a second pressure sensing portion, each including a first rigid electrode, a second rigid electrode, and a deflectable membrane structure, wherein the second rigid electrode is between the first rigid electrode and the deflectable membrane structure, and wherein the first rigid electrode, the second rigid electrode and the deflectable membrane structure are in a vertical configuration, and wherein the first and second rigid electrode of the first pressure sensing portion form a reference capacitor, and wherein the second rigid electrode and the deflectable membrane structure of the first pressure sensing portion form a sensing capacitor, and wherein the first and second rigid electrode of the second pressure sensing portion form a reference capacitor, and wherein the second rigid electrode and the deflectable membrane structure of the second pressure sensing portion form a sensing capacitor.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2022Publication date: February 23, 2023Inventors: Athanasios Kollias, Bernhard Winkler
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Publication number: 20220381635Abstract: A controller for an environmental sensor provides digital environmental measurement values from analog environmental measurements performed by analog circuitry, the digital environmental measurement values lying in a global scale range. The controller subjects the global scale range to a subdivision into scale subranges that are proper subranges of the global scale range. The controller selects, among the scale subranges, one scale subrange in which an analog environmental measurement is to be performed, selects an offset information and a gain information that are associated with the selected scale subrange and that are indicative of an offset and a gain to be applied by the analog circuitry to perform an analog environmental measurement in the selected scale subrange, and to provide the offset information and the gain information to the analog circuitry.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2022Publication date: December 1, 2022Inventors: Andreas Wiesbauer, Alessandro Caspani, Christian Jenkner, Athanasios Kollias
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Publication number: 20220201398Abstract: A system includes a first membrane, a second membrane and a third membrane spaced apart from one another, wherein the second membrane is between the first membrane and the third membrane, and the second membrane comprises a plurality of openings, a sealed low pressure chamber between the first membrane and the third membrane, and a plurality of electrodes in the sealed low pressure chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2020Publication date: June 23, 2022Inventors: Marc Fueldner, Andreas Wiesbauer, Athanasios Kollias
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Publication number: 20220194784Abstract: A triple-membrane MEMS device includes a first membrane, a second membrane and a third membrane spaced apart from one another, wherein the second membrane is between the first membrane and the third membrane, a sealed low pressure chamber between the first membrane and the third membrane, a first stator and a second stator in the sealed low pressure chamber, and a signal processing circuit configured to read-out output signals of the triple-membrane MEMS device.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2020Publication date: June 23, 2022Inventors: Marc Fueldner, Andreas Wiesbauer, Athanasios Kollias
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Patent number: 11193844Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a sensor includes: a signal source with a first signal source terminal and a second signal source terminal; a bridge circuit connected to the first and second signal source terminals, the bridge circuit including: a first branch including: a first reference impedance element; and a first sensor impedance element configured to transduce a magnitude to be measured into a first impedance-related parameter; and a second branch including: a second reference impedance element; and a second sensor impedance element configured to transduce the magnitude to be measured into a second sensor impedance-related parameter.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2019Date of Patent: December 7, 2021Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AGInventors: Athanasios Kollias, Christian Jenkner, Alexander Joebstl, Daniel Neumaier
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Publication number: 20190383684Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment, a sensor includes: a signal source with a first signal source terminal and a second signal source terminal; a bridge circuit connected to the first and second signal source terminals, the bridge circuit including: a first branch including: a first reference impedance element; and a first sensor impedance element configured to transduce a magnitude to be measured into a first impedance-related parameter; and a second branch including: a second reference impedance element; and a second sensor impedance element configured to transduce the magnitude to be measured into a second sensor impedance-related parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2019Publication date: December 19, 2019Inventors: Athanasios Kollias, Christian Jenkner, Alexander Joebstl, Daniel Neumaier
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Patent number: 10175130Abstract: An embodiment includes a method of performing a measurement using a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device that includes a plurality of MEMS sensors having different resonant frequencies. The method includes applying an excitation signal to a first port of the MEMS device such that each of the plurality of the MEMS sensors is stimulated by the excitation signal. The method further includes measuring a signal at a second port of the MEMS device and determining a measured value based on the measuring the signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2016Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AGInventors: Athanasios Kollias, Matthias Friedrich Herrmann, Christian Ebner, Ernesto Romani, Stephan Mechnig, Joseph Hufschmitt, Andreas Wiesbauer, Christian Jenkner
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Publication number: 20160305835Abstract: An embodiment includes a method of performing a measurement using a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) device that includes a plurality of MEMS sensors having different resonant frequencies. The method includes applying an excitation signal to a first port of the MEMS device such that each of the plurality of the MEMS sensors is stimulated by the excitation signal. The method further includes measuring a signal at a second port of the MEMS device and determining a measured value based on the measuring the signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2016Publication date: October 20, 2016Inventors: Athanasios Kollias, Matthias Friedrich Herrmann, Christian Ebner, Ernesto Romani, Stephan Mechnig, Joseph Hufschmitt, Andreas Wiesbauer, Christian Jenkner